Dubai Police arrest more than 300 illegal immigrants in October

Municipality inspectors arrested 337 illegal residents and seized nearly 4,000 counterfeit products in Dubai in October.

DUBAI // Street vendors, beggars and car washers were among the 337 illegal residents arrested in Dubai last month.

Municipality inspectors, in co-operation with Dubai Police, arrested 177 street vendors, 104 illegal butchers and fish cleaners, 40 beggars and 16 car washers.

Obeid Ibrahim Marzouqi, head of market management at the municipality, said they also seized 3,933 counterfeit products. These included 2,498 ready-made garments; 875 DVDs, pirated films and pornographic movies; 545 foodstuff items and 13 alcoholic drinks. Representatives of two associations were also arrested for illegal fund collection.

The move against the law-breakers also resulted in the seizure of several low-quality goods and pirated CDs.

"Civic inspectors conduct daily spot checks in streets and public places to prevent street vending, begging and car washing in public places by individuals in violation of the ruling by the Ministry of Labour," Mr Marzouqi said.

Those arrested, who are of various nationalities, will be handed over to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department for deportation in coordination with Dubai Police.